CHAPTER XXIV. HOW A CHAMPION CAME FORTH FROM THE EAST.

TheBordeauxlistswere,ashasalreadybeenexplained,situatedupontheplainneartheriveruponthosegreatoccasionswhenthetilting-groundinfrontoftheAbbeyofSt.Andrew'swasdeemedtobetoosmalltocontainthecrowd.Ontheeasternsideofthisplainthecountry-sideslopedupwards,thickwithvinesinsummer,butnowridgedwiththebrownbareenclosures.Overthegentlyrisingplaincurvedthewhiteroadwhichleadsinland,usuallyfleckedwithtravellers,butnowwithscarcealivingformuponit,socompletelyhadthelistsdrainedallthedistrictofitsinhabitants.Strangeitwastoseesuchavastconcourseofpeople,andthentolookuponthatbroad,white,emptyhighwaywhichwoundaway,bleakanddeserted,untilitnarroweditselftoabarestreakagainstthedistantuplands. Shortlyafterthecontesthadbegun,anyonelookingfromthelistsalongthisroadmighthaveremarked,farawayintheextremedistance,twobrilliantandsparklingpointswhichglitteredandtwinkledinthebrightshimmerofthewintersun.Withinanhourthesehadbecomeclearerandnearer,untiltheymightbeseentocomefromthereflectionfromthehead-piecesoftwohorsemenwhowereridingatthetopoftheirspeedinthedirectionofBordeaux.Anotherhalf-hourhadbroughtthemsoclosethateverypointoftheirbearingandequipmentcouldbediscerned.Thefirstwasaknightinfullarmor,mounteduponabrownhorsewithawhiteblazeuponbreastandforehead.Hewasashortmanofgreatbreadthofshoulder,withvizorclosed,andnoblazonryuponhissimplewhitesurcoatorplainblackshield.Theother,whowasevidentlyhissquireandattendant,wasunarmedsaveforthehelmetuponhishead,butboreinhisrighthandaverylongandheavyoakenspearwhichbelongedtohismaster.Inhislefthandthesquireheldnotonlythereinsofhisownhorsebutthoseofagreatblackwar-horse,fullyharnessed,whichtrottedalongathisside.Thusthethreehorsesandtheirtworidersrodeswiftlytothelists,anditwastheblareofthetrumpetsoundedbythesquireashislordrodeintothearenawhichhadbrokeninupontheprize-givinganddrawnawaytheattentionandinterestofthespectators. “Ha,John!”criedtheprince,craninghisneck,“whoisthiscavalier,andwhatisitthathedesires?” “Onmyword,sire,”repliedChandos,withtheutmostsurpriseuponhisface,“itismyopinionthatheisaFrenchman.” “AFrenchman!”repeatedDonPedro.“Andhowcanyoutellthat,myLordChandos,whenhehasneithercoat-armor,crest,orblazonry?” “Byhisarmor,sire,whichisrounderatelbowandatshoulderthananyofBordeauxorofEngland.Italianhemightbewerehisbassinetmoresloped,butIwillswearthatthoseplateswereweldedbetwixtthisandRhine.Herecomeshissquire,however,andweshallhearwhatstrangefortunehathbroughthimoverthemarches.” Ashespoketheattendantcanteredupthegrassyenclosure,andpullinguphissteedinfrontoftheroyalstand,blewasecondfanfareuponhisbugle.Hewasaraw-boned,swarthy-cheekedman,withblackbristlingbeardandaswaggeringbearing. Havingsoundedhiscall,hethrustthebugleintohisbelt,and,pushinghiswaybetwixtthegroupsofEnglishandofGasconknights,hereinedupwithinaspear'slengthoftheroyalparty. “Icome,”heshoutedinahoarse,thickvoice,withastrongBretonaccent,“assquireandheraldfrommymaster,whoisaveryvaliantpursuivant-of-arms,andaliegemantothegreatandpowerfulmonarch,Charles,kingoftheFrench.Mymasterhasheardthatthereisjoustinghere,andprospectofhonorableadvancement,sohehascometoaskthatsomeEnglishcavalierwillvouchsafefortheloveofhisladytorunacoursewithsharpenedlance